England’s number one was back to his brilliant best in the full-blooded win at Everton on Saturday, with one fingertip stop to deny Steven Naismith described as the “save of the season” by Toffees boss Roberto Martinez.

But wind the clock back to then end of October and it was a very different story.

A string of errors from Hart threatened to scupper City’s title challenge before it had properly started, and Chilean Pellegrini made the tough call to axe the 27-year-old.

That proved shrewd management. Since his reintroduction Hart has been the foundation for City’s excellent Premier League run.

Pellegrini said: “Of course I think not only today, the second round of Joe has been a very good performance. One of the good things that we did this year was to talk to him and sit him (out) some games because he was in a very bad moment but he reacted as a professional player, the number one in England.

“I think the whole team worked very hard, from the beginning it was not easy, when you are losing 1-0 here away, then to score and to go 3-1 up, so I think the whole team played very well.”

Hart’s save from Naismith had a crucial bearing on the match. The Blues had battled back from Ross Barkley’s stunning, curling early strike with goals from Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko to take the advantage into half time.

Moments after the restart Hart was down smartly and accurately to deflect Naismith’s shot just wide with the very tip of his goalkeeping gloves. It has to be seen in slow-motion replay to be fully appreciated.

City promptly went down the other end and extended their lead through Dzeko’s second, and although Romelu Lukaku set up an almost unbearably tense finale, it was a lead the Blues would not relinquish.

Two more wins and the title is City’s, which is all a far cry from the Blues’ recent blip when they lost at Liverpool and then drew at home to Sunderland.

As it transpires, Pellegrini was quick to point out, the Black Cats draw was not as bad as it seemed at the time.

He added: “After we lost against Liverpool I think we had to play against Sunderland three days and everyone thought Sunderland was a very easy team, but not so easy they beat Chelsea and now they beat Manchester United. So there are merits in the draw at our stadium.”

City now find themselves in a similar position to two years ago when they went on a late season charge to win the title.

That season City won their last six to pinch glory from United on goal difference with an incredible last-day win against QPR.

This time the Blues need to win five on the bounce and Pellegrini hopes experience will hold his side in good stead.

On the pressure of playing two games in the final week, at home against Aston Villa and then West Ham, Pellegrini said: “Of course, they are international players, they did it two years ago very similar what we are doing today but the most important thing is try to prepare that game and not to think that you when you play at home the game is won before you play.

“It was not exactly (the same as 2012) but similar. I think we are just thinking about what happened this year that we have an important option to win the title.

“In football you always have chances. I repeat, when we win the game today it was a very tough game, but it’s not the last game.”

City could take another leap towards the trophy tonight if Crystal Palace trip Liverpool up, but Pellegrini is not interested watching the game.

He said:”We are not depending on what Liverpool can do. I will be trying to prepare for our game.”